basidiospore

[ buh-sid-ee-oh-spawr, -spohr ]
/ bəˈsɪd i oʊˌspɔr, -ˌspoʊr /

noun Mycology.

a spore that is borne by a basidium.

Origin of basidiospore

First recorded in 1855–60; basidi(um) + -o- + -spore

OTHER WORDS FROM basidiospore

ba·sid·i·os·por·ous [buh-sid-ee-os-per-uh s, -ee-uh-spawr-uh s, -spohr-] /bəˌsɪd iˈɒs pər əs, -i əˈspɔr əs, -ˈspoʊr-/, adjective

Words nearby basidiospore

basidioma, basidiomycete, basidiomycetes, basidiomycetous, basidiomycota, basidiospore, basidium, basie, basie, count, basifacial, basifacial axis

Example sentences from the Web for basidiospore

British Dictionary definitions for basidiospore

basidiospore
/ (bæˈsɪdɪəʊˌspɔː) /

noun

one of the spores, usually four in number, produced in a basidium

Derived forms of basidiospore

basidiosporous, adjective

Scientific definitions for basidiospore

basidiospore
[ bə-sĭd′ē-ə-spôr′ ]

A sexually produced fungal spore borne on a basidium in the fungi known as basidiomycetes. Basidiospores are produced by the union of the nuclei at the tip of a binucleated segment of a hypha. The resulting zygote then divides by meiosis into four haploid nuclei, each of which migrates to the very tip to be released as a basidiospore. A typical mushroom produces billions of basidiospores.